Wargame: European Escalation

Before you ask, I tried hard to play this, I really did and I just cant get anywhere with this game. Am used to the controls, but I just suck♥♥♥♥♥at this game, I can't even complete the first mission or beat the AI on easy.

I know my problem is that am not an agrresive type player or someone who gonna spawn crap and constatly send it of towards an enemy, am more of an defensive person, I literally can't do Rush tactics in almost any game. So do you guys have any tips for this idiot?

Well, playing defensivly isn't that bad, actually. Sure, you're handicaped when it comes to certain strategies, but the defender is always in a better position than the attacker is (Well, this applies maybe not to the campaign, because the AI is a dumb, cheating steam roller :p). You maybe want to check multiplayer when playing with some guys who are the same level as you are.Anway, some tips (they're mostly better for the multiplayer than for fighting the AI):1. You need recon, never attack without recon. Recon units have these glasses in their name (oo = good optics, -[oo]- very good optics .. etc.) Note, that line of sight is necessary, your recon cannot see behind obstacles like houses. Additionally, you need to differ between spotting an enemy (you just see a black silhouette) and recognizing (you see the enemy vehicle, its name)2. You need map awareness. Pay attention to hills/plateuas, houses and woods. Always check if the enemy is there by sending in some infantry or cheap units, don't drive with your heavy tanks in the forest or climb the edge, just to get killed by some RPG. This is probably not that of an important factor in the campaign (due to the awesome intelligence of the AI), but you shouldn't ignore it either. On the other hand, you can use the map in your favor. Place infantry in woods, houses, ambush the enemy, block his (supply) route or simply prevent him from attacking (by pretending you have a strong defence force there). Actually, it's much more: use hedgerows and stuff 3. You need a plan. The idea of what your units are capable of is not enough, you need to follow some higher strategy - and you need to be able to adapt it to situations quickly - but as long as you're just attacking here, then there - this "let's try it over there" spirit in general - you will fail all the way long (unless your enemy is even worse). Don't do things by halves, concentrate on one plan and attack slowly one place. You can't focus on many different attacks as your units will die soon when you're not microing/controlling them. If something happens, or you have money, you need to be able to integrate this into your stratgegy, if you don't know what to do, you'll loose mostly. You need to have a conception of where your units have to go to, what to spend your money on.4. Use a cominbed arms force - if you lack AA, the enemy will come with helicopters!5. Use a cheap screening force to protect your high-end tanks and other worthy units.6. Don't blob your units too much, spread around, use terrain and advance slowly, else artillery will kill/stun you and you're dead.

For the campaign: There's a good walkthrough by Hob Gadling, iirc. Just look on youtube :)

And always, always use the land, buildings and the whole environment to cover your units. The use of the terrain is quite important to shed your recons units and mask your progression from the opponents own recon units.

But basically, a minimum knowledge of the pros and the cons of your units is needed to avoid sending AA infantry fighting against a tank batallion.

And then you'll realize that 5 guys with anti-tank missiles and wood cover can do wonders :D

Initially when you play click on the "Unit Info" button. This button will tell you the range of the units you are attacking. This way you know that you can outrange them with your tanks, or whether you should bring in some other unit to buffer. If you outrange them when they start moving to you, you move away from them. You will effectively out range them while still attacking and not being attacked. Most of the campaign can be completed using a solid powerful rush.

There's tones of campaign VODs out there on Youtube to help you. Even after patch changes they all still work well.

Hey Hentairocker,U got some good advice above but I would add that don't be afraid to be defensive. I am a defensive player but after playing a lot of games U start to get the "feel" of this game. Believe me it took me a long time to get offensive minded. U have to micro alot but U will get used to it just keep playin'. MP is really where its at and U can get schooled quick playin against someone better than yourself. THATS how I got better. Stick it out its a great game. Good Luck.

I'm playing single player campaign. Use the Gazelles or Cobras they have great eyesight. The rockets are capable of stunning or taking out tanks. They have great stand off when using rockets. Just dont bring them in too close. I use them for close air support. They move fast so you can resupply at a F.O.B.

-Use recon. Keep recon moving through hedges and in forests to maximize their stealth. The moment a recon vehicle or helo of yours spots an/some enemy(s), don't move him in anymore--you might want to move him a little bit to see if there are any other enemies nearby but avoid moving them TOO close. Also, turn recon units weapons OFF so that they can get into their weapons range but not give away their position. If enemies spot your recon or advance in the direction of it, PULL IT BACK. If you say spot a group of enemy tanks or even a command vehicle and any other units around it, have artillery fire at that location. In real life, this is how it's done--recon tells artillery where to shoot and they correct their shots, making them more accurate. If you recon/any other unit spotting an enemy, and you target the enemies with artillery, the radius will be shorter automatically and will say "corrected shot."

-Artillery - as I said, use it in conjunction with recon primarily. It can target specific units, or you can also tell them to fire on a position. If there are hidden enemy units causing you trouble holed up in some buildings or forest, have artillery pound the position and then move recon in to check the area first. Do not try to directly target moving enemy forces with arty because the shots will go way behind their path. Instead, target the area a ways in front of them as an area denial. It may make the opponent think twice before trying to cross a certain area of ground which may allow you to buy time, sending forces to defend an area. There is a difference between regular arty and say the BM-21 Grad. The BM-21 is excellent for scaring the **** out of your opponent because if you get like 4 of them, each one fires tons of rockets and saturates the target area. Would be useful against infantry especialy, and can take out armored vehicles, damage them, stun them, and same with tanks with good hits. Regular artillery relies more on precision for each shot.

-Infantry - keep them in cover. Put some Anti-tank infantry in a city and if the enemy sends armored vehicles, they will have trouble getting too close and spotting your infantry. Infantry become virtually invisible this way. Avoid putting Infantry out in the open because they will get mauled by enemy armored vehicles, tanks, etc. Same for armored vehicles that come with your infantry. Rushing platoons of regular, AT, and AA infantry to a city and controlling it can give the enemy a hard time.

-mortar units can be perhaps even better than artillery in certain situations. They have a shorter range and wouldn't be as powerful, though they laod quickly and can continuously rain down fire on a confined area--much more confined than artillery. I have used them to try to stun, or even damage or destroy any unlucky vehicles as they try to advance, and of course they'd be great against infantry and lighter command vehicles.

I played my first game against a friend the other day--there were a couple center points which I rushed to (though I used armored vehicles which turned out to be UNARMED = major noob move lol...but I also had tanks and such). I sent units out to secure the area, and they did. They came under attack a couple times but mostly managed to fend them off. However he was focusing on the flanks more whereas I was concentrating too much on the center. He would sent armor from both sides and caught me kinda short staffed there, and while I tried to reinforce with extra tanks and such, I probably should've pulled back from it sooner than I did. I may have been able to save some units.

We both used artillery--I used BM-21s partly, though I tried to use them sparingly because they take lots of ammo per volley. At one point he was putting down arty fire in my main base that wasn't really corrected I don't think, but some shots got kind of lucky. I think a helicopter or 2 were damaged while resupplying for instance.

My main thing was sending out recon, looking for their positions, and trying to get artillery on them to either destroy them, damage them, take out a CV, or whatnot. See, he is also a noob really so he kind of neglected supplies in a way, and so he had a few tanks out of gas just sitting there.

Hope this also helped. So in conclusion: watch your flanks/don't over extend into the center, use arty in conjunction with recon and hidden infantry, don't forget supplies, and yeah. I'm no expert, obviously, but hope this was helpful.